Bravo Greenpeace!

I used to think you were only a bunch of self-regarding, self-important, science-hating and ignorant fascists, shouting down anyone that didn't agree with your world view!

Now I've come to understand you can fulfill a useful role in society - helping to protect the good and decent citizens of this country from that other bunch of mindless, ignorant fanatics...

But, more seriously - and putting on my anorak and hi-vis jacket for a moment - did anyone at Greenpeace do a risk assessment for these stunts? I mean, the tops of aircraft aren't usuallt fitted with steps and safety rails.

What if one of these idiots had actually fallen off? Would they be prosecuted under Health and Safety legislation?

More likely they would have been able to successful sue BAA, with the taxpayers and travelling public picking up the tab.

Oxford Dom, Oxford, England,

I have not noticed Greenpeace protesting at the building of many homes all over the South East of England, or the world's massive increase in population, to name a couple of examples.
And just think of the increase in the amount of CO2 these four emitted from their lungs when they participated in this foolish escapade.
And these four are adults?

Peterr, Northants, England

Well done Greenpeace. The majority of negative comments here are from misinformed, misguided sheep..baaaahhhh!
Direct action is a legitimate form of protest and it gets results. Anyone who believes climate change of this kind, gathering momentum at its current rate is a natural occurance has either been labotomised already or desperately needs to be.
Keep it up, PLEASE.

Lisa Hurley, london, uk

Global temperatures have been changeing since the earth was formed, you can't beat nature. These nuts should have been shot. Did they walk to the airport or use gas guzzeling CO2 producing cars. I have lived on an airfield and also by a railway line, I got used to it. Heathrow has been expanding since 1948, if you don't like it why move there in the first place.
What about the freight and food stuff that is flown in from Africa
would you deprive these third world farmers of a living?Greempeace, Animal rights, Human rights, a load of nuts, perhaps they should do some work instead of scrounging on the Taxpayers

Mike, Paphos, Cyprus

Thank you Greenpeace.
Will those who want more airport expansion please go and get a nice calm, refreshing sleep under the Heathrow flight path.

ALOE, Woking,

Do you think its about time that the government drop all THE terrifying the public with."" We are all in danger from terrorists ""rubbish. NOW THAT WE SEE HOW EASY IT COULD BE FOR THEM IF THEY REALLY WANTED. I am sick an tired of these so called leaders frightened to walk to the shops at night as we maybe in danger from some spotty teenagers. God Help us if there really was a war. Where would these lot have been in the blitz.. In the country I assume, hiding under the mothers skirts. What sort of leaders are they frightened of their shadows.

The Sickness in British Politics and the media. Where is Churchill when you need him???

Mark, Newcastle, uk

There is only one global pollution problem - population growth. Nothing science, or idiot demonstrators, can do will improve anything, so long as newly made people are contributing to the problems faster than they can be addressed. Why doesn't Greenpeace camp outside the Vatican or that square thingy in Mecca?

Antonio, Estepona,

What complete lunatics!! This is a complete waste of police time! What I do wonder though is if protestors can do that, then what could a terrorist do? If they got through onto the tarmac airside (which is relatively easy - fire escapes etc.), then how did they get the equipment through security?

I feel sorry for the passengers who's flight will now be inevitably delayed so the police can mop up this mess...

Ed Fry, Southsea, UK

Isn't it comforting to know that all those individual rights of privacy and freedom from search and surveillance that you've given up -- have now been proven such a resounding failure by this simple, easy stunt?

All those rules and regulations... all the bobbies hovering around terminals with submachine guns... all the queues and questions and cameras pointed at you from every direction. And 4 amateur idiots can sneak onto, literally, a plane.

Don't you feel safer? Wasn't it a good bargain to install a police state? Nothing to worry about if you're not a criminal?

To paraphrase Ben Franklin, people who choose to sacrifice their personal liberties for the illusion of personal security will have neither.

J Cline, London,

Well said Richard.
If we want to preserve the planet and its resources, we really need to sort out the ever growing population, but alas, governments are more interested in keeping people alive which is completely contradictory to trying to reduce emmissions and protect resources.
I guess in a sort of perverse and bizarre way, the nuclear bomb will do for us all eventually, as because it prevents war there is nothing to keep the numbers of us humans down, and we dont seem to have the savvy to regulate ourselves!

Pete, St Albans, England

Well done Greenpeace! Risking personal safety and arrest to highlight the dangers of unfettered airport expansion.

Truly selfless behaviour!

Alex McGregor, Plymouth, UK

The hole in the security at Heathrow is a problem that should be dealt with,

But far more importantly, we have to fix the hole in our thinking that makes it acceptable to escalate climate change through cheap short-haul flights and other unnecessary greenhouse gas emissions.

Sure, at the moment, if flights from Manchester to London were stopped, the rail system couldn’t cope – but do we want to invest in a third runway at Heathrow, or in more and better trains throughout the UK? Thanks to the Greenpeace activists for highlighting these important decisions.

Jo Dufay, Ottawa, Canada

So much for security at Heathrow...

Steve, London,

Extremeists - these hardcore environmentalists quite frankly scare me. The big expensive stff is easy to target because in the eyes of these guys it represents an indulgent lifestyle - whether it's SUVs, Sports cars or Planes. if anyone is serious about climate change - the first thing to attack should be the MILLIONS upon MILLIONS of regular CARS, driving around everyday with one person on board. On a daily basis even before adjusting for the economic gain of air travel in terms of the time saved, the proportion of CO2 emitted by planes compared to cars is very small.

Ironically - it is also these same planes that have been shown to have a slowing effect on climate change: - the vapour trails reflect sunlight BACK out to space and hence act as an extra layer of protection - a phenomenon known as global dimming. This was proved after sept 11th when no planes flew over the US; temperatures across the US rose suddenly by 3 degrees.

Someone should do some thinking...

Lowendo , London,

I think Greenpeace were right here. Even though they exposed a serious security threat to Heathrow. If they build another runway, they'll be running into the green belt which destroys all these protesters have worked for. I can understand why they posed a serious security threat, because for all anyone knows, they could've been terrorists, plotting to hide in the holds of the aircraft.

I suggest the head of security and management pull their fingers out and impose some serious training to these officers who managed to let these people slip past. Who knows? Maybe they'll actually save lives on aeroplanes!

p.s. Chris from Ashford. Have you ever heard of recycling? or re-using for that matter?

Jasmine Morris, Long Eaton, Nottingham

What did 4 people on top of a plane teach any of us? I'd say most of the population are aware of global warming. Protesting on top of an aeroplane does not inspire us to take action against it.

Patrick, Derry,

Yawn... Anyone else bored of the continuous bombardment of global warming horror stories?

Aviation accounts for 3% of HUMAN global CO2 releases. The planet itself is responsible for 95%+ of TOTAL CO2 released.

Please, if you're worried about CO2 releases so much, don't have children. If we reduce global population, then CO2 releases will reduce - but no-one wants to talk about that...

Also, flying is normally the cheapest option for UK domestic long distance travel, and often the fastest, so no-wonder its popular. If domestic flights were scrapped, the trains wouldn't be able to cope.

Yawn...

Richard, Milton Keynes,

It's a good job they didn't fall off the plane and hit their heads. It could have caused brain damage.

Scott Millson, Toronto, Canada

I don't support Greenpeace or any of their policies but I think they've done a great job in showing up the pathetic farce that passes for security at UK airports these days.

I dread to think what I'd be reading now if instead of environmental protesters these had been tooled-up hajis out for a bit of impromptu holy war.

I think someone from the security services ought to take a look at what happened and who was asleep on the job.

Steve, Reading, UK

Jonathan - the anthropogenic theory of global warming is a very good theory, and likely to be true, but it has some serious flaws. These are problems with measurement (we can't really tell what the world's temperature is, or used to be), problems of testing (this one theory has soaked up all the research funds, and apparently contrary facts and ideas have been hushed up or shouted down) and problems of prediction (computer models are horribly vulnerable to assumptions and feedback effects).

Jumping about on planes won't help, of course.

Frank Upton, Solihull,

Why were these four people not at work on a Monday morning? They don't look old enough to be retired. Should be working and paying taxes towards my pension.

Harry Collier, Malmesbury,

HaHaHa, I know your guys don't believe the Greenpeace and think the Global Warming theory is faked.
Let's wait and see what fate we will have 50 years later.

Michael Gao, London, China

As one of the "luck few" to have actually recieved the consulatation papers on the proposed 3rd runway, I can confirm that the whole questionaire is geared to ensure that you cannot say NO!

The whole thing is an utter disgrace, BAA/Gordon Brown Ltd should be ashamed, no wonder BAA were bought by a Spanish Builder!!!!!

Well done Greenpeace - but they wont listen the £££££'s shout louder

Kevin , wraysbury, Berks

The world is surely saved.

Ellen Morris, Leeds,

Greenpeace, like Friends of the Earth, has long been a machine for manufacturing publicity stunts. Their cause is secondary to their desire to be in the limelight. However, in this case they've done a national service. The failure of security at Heathrow needs urgent and dramatic remedy.

Anthony, Norwich,

I'm tempted to give Greenpeace some money too, just as a reward for showing us how easy it is to get to a plane unhindered. Quite shocking.

Grete, Southampton, UK

I feel immense frustration with those who are sceptical about the "fake Global Warming Theory" (as some have called it). I very much doubt that those individuals have a doctorate in climatology or related field of science. I certainly am not an expert, and so i am more willing to trust the findings of the IPCC, NAS and all the other reputed organisations who say that we need to take action now.

It is impossible for anyone to say with certainty that global warming is a human phenomenon, but the FACT is that there is a high RISK that it is. As such, we need to engage in RISK MANAGEMENT to minimise the risks of its occurrence.

Unfortunately, i feel that we are helping dig our own graves by building a third runway which will contribute more to carbon emissions when we should be reducing them. Although i am not convinced that greenpeace's stunt was the best way to effect policy change, i do salute greenpeace for being RESPONSIBLE enough to risk their own safety in order to raise awareness

Jonathan, London, UK

Well done Greenpeace??? Do they realise they have just given a few great idea's to those who are religious fanatics! Stupid and careless idea. And Chris you completely right... Why aren't they at work?

Matt, London,

The police should be fired for not automatically shooting them as terrorists. We don't know who they are, in their yellow capes.

Antonio, Estepona,

Peurile sensationalism. Greenpeace's time and energy would be far better spent helping protect the few remaining wildlife habitats in India or Africa - except that Heathrow is conveniently on the doorstep of these armchair environmentatlists.

Arnold Ward, Weybridge, Surrey, UK

To all those protestors on top of that plan: Congratulations! Great job. Well done. You deserve a medal. Seriously love your work. Keep it up!

To all those people who are in charge of security at Heathrow airport: I seriously think you should apply for a different position within the airport. One thing is for sure, security was not your best career more. Go and talk to your local careers adviser – if you want to stick with the Airport industry then you should maybe start off in the mail room and see how you handle that.

I live in Richmond and there is nothing more annoying that having plans fly over our house at 4:30 in the morning!

Stop the expansion! And Chris (from Ashford) what are you on about with this bottled water crap? Get the picture.

Richard Lancaster, London,

Not really all that surprising considering the quality of BAA's so called security staff. In the last 2 weeks, I made 3 return flights through LHR. Each time the security folk who are supposed to check your cabin baggage and your person were all chatting amongst themselves openly about where they had been the night before, not looking at people, just going through the motions. The travelling public and the airlines are paying for this but it's not worth a light. BAA cannot be trusted to run Heathrow as it is never mind a third runway and another terminal.

Retired Old Bill, Tokyo, Japan

Why aren't these people at work?

Chris, London,

The expansion plans will affect a large area of south-west England, not just London. The consultation document has been proved to be fixed, written in part by BAA. BAA promised when Terminal 5 was built that there would NEVER be a third runway. They lied. It is irresponsible to have daily flights to MANCHESTER of all places when the threat of climate change is very real. What will it take to get the Government to listen to the vast majority of people who are against the expansion? Well done Greenpeace!

Hayley, London,

Greepeace once again over reacting to mankinds affect on the climate.

Phill , The Wirral, England

Greenpeace seems to becomming more of an action and adventure society than environmental one.... whilst Greenpeace may advocate a sensible message about the environment their approach just seems to alienate more people as they appear more and more radical. At least Fathers for Justice wore costumes, i havent seen a single member of Greenpeace dress as Captain Planet?

Daniel, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire

How long before greenpeace is seen as a 'global terrorist', and has it's funds froze.

Arthur, Newcastle,

Good for them. They have got excellent coverage. It won't change anything. We are too fixated on short term luxury to worry about the long term effect we are having.

Sharon, Worcester, worcs

Misguided fools!

Simon Cross, Nottingham, England

Greenpeace is to be congratulated for exposing the elaborate hoax of "security" at airports, for which we're all paying in treasure, time, and undue scrutinity of personal information by the government. Each time Greenpeace, whose politics I thoroughly disagree with, by the way, engages in these stunts which expose the stupidity of authorities, I send them money. Keep up the good work of sticking it in the face of meddling authorities and promoting debate.

JCM, London, UK

I admire the protesters for their brave act. This is what all of us should be doing. Climate change threatens to destroy everything dear to us and these protesters have the courage to stand up to our hypocritical government and do something about it.

To Karl from Surrey: I would have thought it was obvious, but these people were protesting about the runway's contribution to global climate change, which effects all of us, therefore it is not important whether they live in the area.

Cara, York, UK

The layout of the airport is awful and out of date. They should knock it down completely, and build a fresh one.

Farrukh, Woking, UK

I admire the protesters for their brave act. This is what all of us should be doing. Climate change threatens to destroy everything dear to us and these protesters have the courage to stand up to our hypocritical government and do something about it.

Cara, York, UK

Well thank the Gods that Greenpeace have more organisational skill than the terrorists that pose the greatest threat to the UK ever or whatever the government would have us scared silly by.
Destroying the environment would also seem to be unlawful and irresponsible.
If it had been me I'd have taken bottled Whisky - imagine it cold atop a jet liner at Heathrow today

Rob D, Sevenoaks, Kent

Misguided fools!

Simon Cross, Nottingham, England

If flights from London to Manchester and similiar "short hop" destinations were scrapped then perhaps it wouldn't be necessary to expand airports at all....

glen, Milton Keynes, Bucks, UK

How do you know that they brought bottled water? And why would you assume that? If normal people can reuse bottles, I'm sure Greenpeace activists would.
I understand your point, but doesn't mean they shouldn't protest about air travel. Aeroplanes contribute a great deal more to global warming than most things.
I don't think we should ban air travel. But we could cut down on unnecessary flights, and perhaps think about the consequences a little more.

Rachel, Sheffield, UK

Greenpeace are a ridiculous organisation who are obsessed with their fake Global Warming theory. They are too aroogant to see that climate change is a natural phenomenon, and humans have no effect on the temperature of the planet. Greenpeace are firmly against anything that benifets the human race, and if they had their way, we would all live in the dark ages.

Jack Heward, Brighton, England

What an infantile gesture.

Andrew Brown, derby, UK

Get the Heathrow Fire Brigade to hose them off of there - only in this country do we have to suffer endless hours of footage of a hoist being brought alongside the aircraft so that a friendly policeman can talk to them and ask if they might like to finish their silly game and get down. They've breached about five different levels of security so lets cut short the embarrasment and at least deal with them decisively before the endless enquiries begin as to how they got there unchallenged in the first place

ENR, London,

how many of these 'protesters' live in the area? the vast majority of local residents, who would 'suffer' most under any changes, don't have a problem with the expansion process, because heathrow employs a huge number of them.
people who don't live in the area should keep away, and protest in a more reasonable way ..........this shows them to be pathetic!

karl, egahm, surrey

how many of these 'protesters' live in the area? the vast majority of local residents, who would 'suffer' most under any changes, don't have a problem with the expansion process, because heathrow employs a huge number of them.
people who don't live in the area should keep away, and protest in a more reasonable way ..........this shows them to be pathetic!

karl, egahm, surrey

And how many of the protesters brought along bottled water? This contributes to global warming with absolutely no benefit to society. At least air travel has a benefit.

Chris, Ashford, Middlesex, uk